Another Pathetic Olympics

[ramondo]

I don't know if there's anyone left to do a last-gasp save a la Jonh Tracey at LA in '84, but this year's performances, as I regrettably expected, have been as pathetic as ever.

Yes, we're a small nation and can't expect medals galore, but for Christ's sake look at the table! Look at the countries that have medals!

Truly an embarrassment.

Granted, the opposite extreme can be off-putting as well - I'm have to admit to being heartily sick of the Aussies' self-congratulatory partisan bull****, but so are lots of Aussies themselves. It comes down to taking it all too seriously.

The Irish problem is not taking it seriously enough.

While I usually hate comparisons, I can't help but look at New Zealand as an example of what we should hope to achieve - a serious chance of one or two gold medals at each games.

Not too much to ask is it?

[boc123]

Ya, it wasn't a great games for Ireland.

I thought Sonia showed some heart by qualifying for the final (I know some people thought it was embarassing, but at least she gave it her all, in one last attempt!).

Couple of highlights for me included Kelly Holmes win in the 800 meters (great race), the men's 100 meters (4 people under 10 seconds), the womens Pole vault ( The two russians battling it out, and one of them breaking the world record, You could see they hated each other) :)

[pete]

I don't think we had any hopes of medals going into the Olympics but obviously performances have been lower than expected. I notice Israel got its first ever Olympic gold this year so we not the owrst of countries.

Interesting to hear the Minister for Sport say government giving 110m to sport each year but neglecting to mention 50% of that goes to horse racing.

Pat Hickey is ever worse saying we should be concentration on minority sports like judo & archery as if we have anyone even close to top level in those sports. No surprise its OCI election time soon :rolleyes:

[Pauro 76]

Have to say the lowlight was all the hype about Paula Radcliffe, who i reckon behaved like a spoilt child in the marathon, when she dropped out of the medals placings, she just quit and broke down and cried. Thought u were meant to stick things out till the end. She's kinda like portrayed as a Princess Di like person over here...

[noby]

She's kinda like portrayed as a Princess Di like person over here...

Well, she did hit the wall, and crash out of the race.

[Metrostars]

Anyone notice all the empty stands? It was very poorly attended. And the Greeks booing before the 200 metres last night was a disgrace. It's not the other runners' fault that their hero f-ed up before the start of the games.
BTW Babbington in the Show Jumping has a chance of a medal today.

[corkharps]

Well, she did hit the wall, and crash out of the race.
Yeah,but it was everybody else's fault, not hers! :p :D
I love to see Radcliffes head finally fall off tonight in the 10K! :eek:

[pete]

I can't think what sailing and athletics add on a practical level...

Probably encourages people to keep fit or something. Better than supporting a nation of gamblers ;)

[Rathfarnham Utd]

Have to say the lowlight was all the hype about Paula Radcliffe, who i reckon behaved like a spoilt child in the marathon, when she dropped out of the medals placings, she just quit and broke down and cried. Thought u were meant to stick things out till the end. She's kinda like portrayed as a Princess Di like person over here...


a-beledin-greed!
What is going on with this bird? What about the 3 who won medals!
People seem really upset for her. She a quitter.And a cry-baby!
She needs a good spell in the Army! That will sort her cough out! :mad:

[parnell ranger]

I don't think we had any hopes of medals going into the Olympics but obviously performances have been lower than expected. I notice Israel got its first ever Olympic gold this year so we not the owrst of countries.

Interesting to hear the Minister for Sport say government giving 110m to sport each year but neglecting to mention 50% of that goes to horse racing.Pat Hickey is ever worse saying we should be concentration on minority sports like judo & archery as if we have anyone even close to top level in those sports. No surprise its OCI election time soon :rolleyes:

well its definitely money well spent then cos the only golds won by an irish athlete have been by two horses,irish bred but with foreign pilots up in dressage!

[roboyle]

...getting a gold medal for teaching a horse how to walk funnier than anyone else can must be one of the most rewarding experiences ever... in the true spirit of the games that is!

As for Ireland, we're in a fairly unique position where our national sports is (by far) the biggest sporting attraction and while that stands for little internationally, it's bound to have a knock-on effect on minority sports.

P.S. Yes I know Australia is in a (not too) similar position but they are in 'fairly unique' position too!

[pete]

The GAA excuase is a lame excuse. Most countries have some big non summer olympic sport to distract them. Look at all those countries with big winter sports...

[aswad]

Why don't you sad losers get up off your computer desks, sober up and try to do better? Maybe "tossing off" and "talking ****e" could be incorporated into 2008 and all you ******* could win loads of medals.

Welcome to the Celtic tiger. No-one wants to get up at 5 in the morning and push weights or jog when they can get a pea-brained job in a computer factory and earn 30,000 a year for forwarding computer viruses all day. If the Olympic Council of Ireland gave me a grant of 20,000 to represent my country in the olympics I'd wipe my hole with it. 20,000? I'd earn more in Burger King. Our athletes are treated like dirt for three years and 51 weeks every four years. If Mark Carroll walked down the street would you recognise him? And now you lot think you can slag them off? Shame.

And leave the horsey people alone. That Sasha wan is a bang and a half. Christ on bikes I'd do her some damage.

[Schumi]

I don't know if there's anyone left to do a last-gasp save a la Jonh Tracey at LA in '84
Might be. We've got horse jumpers in joint-1st and 4th after the first run.

[patsh]

Of course it should be pointed out that horse racing is (i) far far more successful than any other sport around Irealnd in terms of world standing, particularly at (ii) putting money back into the economy and (iii) employing people. The Galway races alone is worth multiples of what the Government put in. I can't think what sailing and athletics add on a practical level...Well Conor, lets not give any money at all to sailing, athletics, boxing, mountain biking etc. etc. FF should just hand all the money over to horse racing, sure their builder buddies would be very happy anyway......:rolleyes:

Come on!

The benefit of sport is for children, the health of the nation, enjoyment etc. etc.
Does EVERYTHING have to be expressed in terms of the Economic bottom line so that FFers/P***Ds can understand it?

[adamcarr]

Ireland just won Gold in equestrian. :)

[Metrostars]

Ireland just won Gold in equestrian. :)


Well done to O'Connor and the horsie!

[strangeirish]

Good Kildare man that. Wonder where the horse is from? :D

[blobbyblob]

Well done O' Connor and Blah Glass.

Just after having murder in work when i was told to turn down the national anthem. Wasnt havnig it. Oh no. Blood is still boiling. mother of god, is this what we've become

[Closed Account 2]

did anyone see the guy from Canada dressed as a woman jumping into the pool... he should have gotta gold.

[pineapple stu]

Wonder where the horse is from? :D

Germany. Seriously! Apparently there were some Irish horses who won medals in the team events though, which seems strange...

Great stuff though. Kurten was close (in a way...) to making it a double. We've not entered the showjumping too often for some reason, and it's a big sport in Ireland, so this bodes well for the future at least!

[thejollyrodger]

obviously the government isnt spending enough on sports and sports infastructure. If we seriously want to compete as a nation internationally were going to have to take a leaf out of the aussie's book in terms of getting every percentage out of our athlethes.

[Metrostars]

From RTE's website:


O'Connor's triumph, Irelands first Olympic gold since Michael Carruth won one in boxing in 1992, came after his team-mate Jessica Kuerten, who had jumped a clear first round to hold the joint lead with Britain's Nick Skelton, produced a disastrous final round.


So I guess Michelle Smith's golds in 1996 are no longer counted by RTE?

[tiktok]

From RTE's website:
So I guess Michelle Smith's golds in 1996 are no longer counted by RTE?

I don't see why not to be honest. She was drugs tested at the time and passed it, so the Golds should stand.
The U.S. still count Carl Lewis' ffs :rolleyes:

[DolansWaistcoat]

Her medals were never taken off her,were they?

I reckon Michelle was guilty as sin though and the rte heads probably feel the same so they choose to 'forget' about her. :(

[patsh]

Who said that?

Did someone make that point?

I'm going back through the thread and I don't see that anywhere.

Or are you simply making up a point that wasn't made at all?

As for economics, respond to Pete - after all I think it was Pete who brought it up, something about €110m, half going on the racing industry etc. etc. I was merely responding to him...Another classic example of FF speak.
Use plenty of words, but say nothing.

[patsh]

Of course it should be pointed out that horse racing is (i) far far more successful than any other sport around Irealnd in terms of world standing, particularly at (ii) putting money back into the economy and (iii) employing people. The Galway races alone is worth multiples of what the Government put in. I can't think what sailing and athletics add on a practical level...Conor, I find it rich that you accuse anyone of avoiding answering questions, as you are the absolute master of evasion.
In the post above you quite clearly make a point linking economics with horse racing and then go on to say that you cannot see any "practical" return from sailing and athletics. This is a fairly clear statement on the connection between economics and sport, and how some sports, in your opinion, add nothing to the economy. Thus you are implying/alluding to/suggesting/insinuating or whatever word you like, that a sport that gives us a monetary return is more deserving of 50% of all taxpayers money that goes to sport, rather than others which do nothing "practical" for the economy.
Whatever way you want to dress it up, that is reducing everything down to the bottom line only.
By the way, how "practical" is the centre up in Punchestown?
Will it be giving a return on all that taxpayers money that it recieved in highly dodgy circumstances outside all accepted and required procedures?

[pete]

Pete, neither you nor I could have guessed it before Cian O'Connor's performance, but your point about pumping money into the horse scene (and my response about it being the only sport where we have some prestige) was terribly timed... ;)

If FF want to put money into the horse industry then maybe they should include with IDA grants for INDUSTRY or something as unfair to suggest its sport.

Showjumping doesn't need any "investment". Cian O'Connor had his new €110K Audi A8 car with 3k in cash stolen (since found/returned) the week before the Olympics. FFs for the goal medal 'n all & also good to se ehe signing the National Anthem so no West Brit accusations ;)

[peadar1987]

Sorry to resurrect a zombie thread, but I think sailing has probably earned its keep in Galway over the last few years with the Volvo.

[NeverFeltBetter]

I wonder how justified dissapointment is with failures in certain sports? I have no idea if athletes/Ireland could have done more/should be doing more in sports like Swimming, Badminton etc. Seems like so much attention gets thrown at boxing, and now, sailing.

[SkStu]

We don't have the population, interest, tradition and probably not the infrastructure to be successful at more than a handful of sports. For us to focus on track/field and a couple of specialty sports is probably smart and represents our best chance at some medals.

[OwlsFan]

I have no idea if athletes/Ireland could have done more/should be doing more in sports like Badminton etc..

According to my great friend, Laughing Bill O'Herlihy, badmington is apparently a "Protestant sport".

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2012/0731/1224321156033.html

[bennocelt]

According to my great friend, Laughing Bill O'Herlihy, badmington is apparently a "Protestant sport".

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2012/0731/1224321156033.html

Must be a lot of them in China so...

[SkStu]

Must be a lot of them in China so...

Great bunch of lads...

[peadar1987]

I wonder how justified dissapointment is with failures in certain sports? I have no idea if athletes/Ireland could have done more/should be doing more in sports like Swimming, Badminton etc. Seems like so much attention gets thrown at boxing, and now, sailing.

Well, there's more to sport than Olympic medals. Doing well at the Games is brilliant, but sports for me are about the general health and wellbeing of the population.

But on a topic more relevant to your post, I've just watched the 10,000 metres, and watched Fionnuala Britton get blown away by the Africans. I'm still proud though. The girl finished 15th in the world. It's a one-in-a-million girl like Sonia who'll ever beat those guys, but Fionnuala did better than anyone from France, anyone from Germany, Australia, Brazil, China, India. I don't think that that's a failure just because it's not a medal.

If we want to win gold medals, we should sink our resources into a very small amount of sports. Sailing is an ideal choice. I used to compete against Annalise Murphy back when we were kids. She's had a very supportive family who have given up a lot to make sure she can put in the hours, go to the international events, have the coaches, to get her to where she is now. If we did that with the Sports Council's purse for athletes in a small number of skill-based sports, your archery, sailing, shooting, kayaking. Forget about athletics, forget about badminton, you'd pick up 6 or 7 medals per Games, probably.

I'd prefer to see the money spent on developing community sports facilities for the good of the entire country. And your one-in-a-million talent like Sonia, or your family-supported Annalise, or the occasional combination, like Katie Taylor, will come along every now and again and make us all proud.

[Spudulika]

I know it will probably seem churlish, but I'm glad the irish athletes go and give it a wallop, and do their best. It does inspire kids to do something with their own lives. What kills much of the element of investment in sport, I believe, comes down to the complete and utter hypocrisy surrounding performance enhancing drugs. Not for a second do I believe or buy that the Jamaicans are all clean, nor do I believe that the Chinese are doing it naturally (history has shown this just simply isn't the case) and for that matter I do not believe the Yanks are clean. I remember the US media turning on Michelle DeBruin, I remember the exact point and I remember the Canuck media joining in - why? Because Janet Evans missed out on her "fairytale" comeback and a golden girl from Canada (who adorned cereal boxes) missed out on the final. No matter how fast Michelle DeBruin did, she still was way off the times posted by.....Janet Evans. So certain sports - weightlifting and athletics (speed and power events) will be cautiously avoided by the government and sponsors.

Boxing is suffering because of long term class association (despite the best efforts of the IABA) as well as the horrific officiating that is the norm in international amateur boxing (get rid of computers and cheating will be quickly found out). For most sports we have to export our best athletes to train elsewhere, and why not, it will cost less long term with possibly better results. It's as cheap to house and train rowers in Zagreb as to construct a rowing lake in Ireland. Same with canoeing and kayaking, but the money needs to be put in to send them abroad. The problem is - we don't have the money.

I believe our boxers are doing well, our sailors and paddlers the same, our athletes will do their best and our horsepeople will always be world class. I don't want us to turn a generation of kids from recreational drug users into performance enhancing drug users just for a few bits of metal.

[Real ale Madrid]

According to my great friend, Laughing Bill O'Herlihy, badmington is apparently a "Protestant sport".

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/2012/0731/1224321156033.html

Thats ridiculous - he said nothing of the sort - the journalist who asked that question is obviously a clown, looking for something to print. What is it with the Irish media and this sort of rubbish?

[nigel-harps1954]

Thats ridiculous - he said nothing of the sort - the journalist who asked that question is obviously a clown, looking for something to print. What is it with the Irish media and this sort of rubbish?

He insinuated more than said it. Something along the lines of "It's always been seen as a protestant sport". Not a direct quote, but it was something along those lines. I got slightly taken aback myself from it, but then I just realised he's old and pretty much useless at this stage.

[NeverFeltBetter]

He said something to the effect that "back in my day Badminton was seen as a protestant sport". His day might have been the 40s/50s. Is he wrong?

[Real ale Madrid]

He insinuated more than said it. Something along the lines of "It's always been seen as a protestant sport". Not a direct quote, but it was something along those lines. I got slightly taken aback myself from it, .

FFS!

No, no he didn't.

What he said was (and I'm paraphrasing, but only slightly)

"When I was growing up - back in the late 1940's and 1950's, the perception was out there was that badminton was a protestant sport"

That’s a hell of a long way from saying that badminton has always been a protestant sport or that badminton is a protestant sport.

Bill was at the time engaged in a conversation with a former badminton player about the popularity of the game and how it has grown as a sport since the 40's and 50's when its perception may not have been popular (as he thought rightly or wrongly that the sport had protestant and thus elitist connotations) and how lots of sports halls up and down the country now have courts and equipment.

Those sort of articles really sicken my h**e. It’s like a journo was watching on TV and dropped his chips with the excitement that the word protestant was mentioned.


but then I just realised he's old and pretty much useless at this stage.

Thats just a stupid comment.

[nigel-harps1954]

Well hey, I suppose I'm just stupid then.

[elroy]

There was a letter to the Times last week which bemoaned the lack of sports facilities and variety in this country. Went on to lament the fact that many place more importance on a provincial final than success in international sport.

Everyone to their own opinion but I always have got greatest sporting satisfaction from international successes of our sports teams and persons. I think a policy of focus on certain sports is a good path to take from the perspective of medal successes. However it is a pity the country doesnt have a wider sports base, may help more of our youth stay away from anti social behaviour and alcohol.

[ramondo]

... now, 9 years later from the last post on this thread, and 17 years since I started it, let me give some context, as I did appear somewhat, ahem, opinionated at the time. (Or maybe just drunk.)

It was 2004, another year we got zero medals, after the late gold was dangled and then taken away, so I feel there was some justification for my disgust at the time. Plus I'd grown up in Ireland in the 70s and 80s, so I'd experienced:

1972 Munich 0 0 0
1976 Montreal 0 0 0
1980 Moscow 0 1 1 (and that sailing silver was definitely a boycott bonus)
1984 Los Angeles 0 1 0
1988 Seoul 0 0 0

But it appears things have improved in the meantime.

For 2021 well done to the rowers for the gold and bronze, and at the time of writing, at least a bronze in boxing.

Thanks to Covid for sparing us Ole, Ole, Ole on that gold win for O'Donovan and McCarthy. That reminds me, I had a look at the whole of Katie Taylor's gold-winning bout in 2012 for the first time last night. This was with sound but without commentary, you can find it on YouTube. And you know, she's obviously a great fighter, but I'm not convinced she won that one - the Russian wasn't entirely deluded by having her arms up before the result was announced. But the result's the result and they all count, ask De Bruin or Roche (ouch! sorry).

Also had a look at a lot of John Treacy's marathon in 1984 that's also on YouTube. It was really a great performance in a class field, especially as it was his first marathon. Impressive performance also by Jimmy Magee in the highlights video, where he remembers and names every Irish person to win an Olympic medal up to that point as Treacy runs the last 100 metres. Not so impressive that it only took him (Magee) 11 seconds.

Anyway, well done Irish Olympians, more please.

[OwlsFan]

Should this thread not be in Other Sports? Anyway, there was an Ole Ole Ole ! The Irish team sang it when they went back to the Olympic Village :)

[ramondo]

Should this thread not be in Other Sports?

Well, maybe my gripe was more with mental attitudes and lack of investment in Olympic sports? Hardly worth changing it now... :)



Anyway, there was an Ole Ole Ole ! The Irish team sang it when they went back to the Olympic Village :)

FFS.

[ramondo]

Here we go again. I see the runners have been doing great stuff lately, and swimmers. Do any better-informed-minds-than-mine know the best medal prospects for upcoming Paris '24?

[samhaydenjr]

Here we go again. I see the runners have been doing great stuff lately, and swimmers. Do any better-informed-minds-than-mine know the best medal prospects for upcoming Paris '24?

Well, things definitely look much brighter than they did when you posted in 2004, Ramondo - for starters, as of now, we have 122 qualified athletes, compared to 46 in '04. And there are more medal hopefuls - so many, in fact, that it will be somewhat disappointing if we don't top our haul from 2012. I've grouped them into three rough categories: serious medal contenders, who would be disappointed not to win a medal in a given event; those with a fair chance, where a medal is a distinct possibility but you couldn't quite say it's expected; outside chances, where we could get a medal if the relevant athlete/team plays out of their skins and/or some of their competitors underperform. So here is that list, as I see it:

Serious medal candidates:
1. Daniel Wiffenx2 - Swimming - 800m and 1500m freestyle - World Champion in both, World Record holder over 800m short-course, triple European Champion in short-course. Caveat for Wiffen - in the 2023 Worlds, he came fourth behind three swimmers who are about his age - two of them did not compete against him in 2024.
2. Rhasidat Adeleke - Athletics - 400m - her rise to the top has been stunning - she is already a superstar, with three European medals under her belt aged 21. Her PB of 49.07 would have won a medal at pretty much any Worlds, Olympics or Europeans. Caveat - Natalia Kaczmarek's stunning run to beat Rhasidat in the Euros means there's now four women in the field who have run sub-49 seconds
3. Rhys McClenaghan - Gymnastics - Pommel Horse - double World Champion, triple European Champion - undoubtedly the man to beat in his discipline. Caveat - underperformed in two major championships, including the last Olympics
4. Fintan McCarthy and Paul O'Donovan - Rowing - Lightweight Double Sculls - as a pair, Olympic Champions, double World Champions, Triple World Champions - made the German boat look like plucky underdogs happy to win silver in Tokyo.
5. Kellie Harrington - Boxing - Women's Lightweight - World, Olympic and European Champion - I thought she fought better in her final than Katie Taylor in 2012

Fair Chance at a medal:
1. Mixed 4x400m relay - Athletics - European Champions, bronze at the World Relays - an amazing few months has put them really in the mix - I'm almost tempted to upgrade them to Serious contenders. Caveat - if Rhasidat's coach decides she should focus on the individual 400m (had she broken 11 seconds in the 100 at the National CHampionships today, that would have created a scheduling clash)
2. Ciara Mageean - Athletics - 1500m - European Gold in 2024, silver in 2022, fourth in Tokyo. Also close to being a serious contender, but with Faith Kipyegon almost a lock for the gold, that leaves her competing with a number of other talented runners for the minor medals
3. The Golfers - any of the four could win a medal, but given the nature of golf, I wouldn't expect a medal from any of them, not even Rory. He does have as good a chance as anyone else in the field and a better chance than most.
4. Men's Rugby Sevens - third in the 2022 Sevens World Cup, second in the 2023-24 Sevens Series, coming second or third in four of the seven tournaments. However, they didn't win any and never seemed to top their group
5. Rowing - we've been picking up medals in rowing at Worlds, Europeans and Olympics, even when Paul O'Donovan isn't in the boat, so there's definitely a fair chance of a second medal in rowing.
6. Boxing x 2 - Apart from Harrington, six of our boxers have won medals at major championships

Outside Chance:
1. Women's 4x400m relay - Athletics - European Silver Medalists but with the Americans and Jamaicans also to compete, they may have to go up another level to claim hardware
2. Sarah Healy - Athletics - 1500m - stellar underage, hasn't quite translated it into senior success yet, but has started reaching major finals - you never know
3. Boxing x 2 more - if they have a really great meet
4. Rowing - a third medal if they have a really great regatta
5. Lara Gillespie - Track Cycling - Omnium/Madison - multiple medals at underage championships. Came fourth in the Omnium and sixth in the Madison at this year's senior Europeans, competing against much more experienced riders. This year may be too soon but you never know.
6. Equestrian - have disappointed on a number of occasions but capable of winning medals if they can keep the horses off drugs and get them to dance better (but why is Bertram Allen omitted again?)
7. Women's Rugby Sevens - seventh in the World Series, but did win one tournament - would need to produce at least two upsets to medal, but that's possible
8. Mona MacSharry - Swimming - Olympic finalist, multiple medal winner at major short-course and underage Championships - would need to up her game but not impossible
9. Ellen Walshe - Swimming - similar to MacSharry, but not as many medals and not yet an Olympic finalist
10. Jack Woolley - desparately unlucky to be beaten by a semi-finalist in 2021 - has since won two European medals
11. A second golfing medal - Rory plus one of the others

So, in total, I make that six medals where we have a serious contender, seven where he have a fair chance, and twelve where there's an outside chance. So if everything went our way, we could be looking at 25 medals, although 6-10 is a more realistic goal, which would still be fantastic.

[ramondo]

Good analysis there Sam. And good call on Daniel Wiffen and especially Mona MacSharry - as of writing we have a gold and bronze in swimming, which is a major result from a historical perspective. (Notwithstanding there people who still believe Michelle DeBruin's 3 golds and a bronze were not drug-assisted - go figure.)

With swimming, boxing, athletics, and rowing still to be completed, it looks promising.

[ramondo]

Serious medal candidates:

1. Daniel Wiffenx2 - Swimming - 800m and 1500m freestyle * Correct - Gold and Bronze*

2. Rhasidat Adeleke - Athletics - 400m *Unlucky - 4th*

3. Rhys McClenaghan - Gymnastics - Pommel Horse *Correct - Gold*

4. Fintan McCarthy and Paul O'Donovan - Rowing - Lightweight Double Sculls *Correct - Gold*

5. Kellie Harrington - Boxing - Women's Lightweight *Correct - Gold*


Fair Chance at a medal:

1. Mixed 4x400m relay - Athletics - *Good effort, but Adeleke opted out, as you predicted.*

2. Ciara Mageean - Athletics - 1500m

3. The Golfers - I wouldn't expect a medal from any of them, not even Rory. *Good call*

4. Men's Rugby Sevens

5. Rowing - we've been picking up medals in rowing at Worlds, Europeans and Olympics, even when Paul O'Donovan isn't in the boat, so there's definitely a fair chance of a second medal in rowing. *Correct - Bronze*

6. Boxing x 2 - Apart from Harrington, six of our boxers have won medals at major championships *Harrington apart, disappointing*


Outside Chance:

1. Women's 4x400m relay - they may have to go up another level to claim hardware *Unlucky 4th - good call*

2. Sarah Healy - Athletics - 1500m

3. Boxing x 2 more - if they have a really great meet

4. Rowing - a third medal if they have a really great regatta

5. Lara Gillespie - Track Cycling - Omnium/Madison

6. Equestrian - have disappointed on a number of occasions *You don't win Aga Khans with time faults...*

7. Women's Rugby Sevens

8. Mona MacSharry - Swimming - Olympic finalist, multiple medal winner at major short-course and underage Championships - would need to up her game but not impossible * Correct - Bronze - great call*

9. Ellen Walshe - Swimming

10. Jack Woolley - desparately unlucky to be beaten by a semi-finalist in 2021 - has since won two European medals

11. A second golfing medal - Rory plus one of the others

So, in total, I make that six medals where we have a serious contender, seven where he have a fair chance, and twelve where there's an outside chance. So if everything went our way, we could be looking at 25 medals, although 6-10 is a more realistic goal, which would still be fantastic.

Great Olympics '24 for team Ireland, and top marks to samhaydenjr for the predictions.